Curly's in it for the long run

Running the length of NZ

RUNNER'S HIGH: Eltham man Grant ‘‘Curly’’ Jacobs, 53, plans to beat the 40-year-old record for running the length of New Zealand in March next year.

Relevant offers

An Eltham man plans to beat the record for running the length of New Zealand of 18 days.

He reckons he can do it in 16.

The Taranaki Daily News spotted Grant "Curly" Jacobs, 53, in hi-vis and sunglasses running along State Highway 3 under clear skies with a brisk southerly at his back. ‘I left New Plymouth at 5.30am, had breakfast in Urenui, lunch on top of Mt Messenger and I'll have dinner at the pub," Jacobs said.

He was on his way to Auckland for a seminar this weekend with Olympic bronze medallist Barry Magee, chiropractor Dr Keith Livingstone and distance coach Chris Pilone.

Jacobs, who is member of the Stratford Harrier Club, has always loved a jog. ‘It makes me smile inside."

He won the 150-kilometre solo Round the Mountain race in 2012 and four years ago ran the length of New Zealand unassisted, with his dog Buddy. It took him two and half months to run it, and about six months to recover.

In March next year he plans to run it in 16 days, averaging 132km a day and beating the 40-year-old record of 18 days and nine hours.

At the moment he's running a marathon a day, taking his lead from Forrest Gump.